Safety mechanism for moving-picture machines



C. E. MORTON.

SAFETY MECHANISM FOR MOVING HCTURE MACHINES.

APPLxcATxoN FILED APR.23,1919.

1 ,360,97 1 Patented Nov. 30,` 1920.

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Wi/WE'SSES 31u/noauto?, 5B diaria' Maria/ 'WTNESSES C. E. MORTON.

SAFETY MECHANISM FOR MOVING PICTURE MACHINES.

`APPLICATION FlLED APR. 23. 1919.

1,360,9'7 l Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gvwe 11 (oz 772. @Agi C. E. MORTON.

SAFETY MECHANISIVI FOR MOVING PICTURE MACHINES.

APPUcATIoN FILED APR. 2s. Isls.

` 1,360,97 1 Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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CHARLES E. MoaroN, or sr. LOUIS, msSoUar.

SAFETYMECHANISM Foa MoviNG-PICTUBE MACHINES.

T o all whom'z't concern B eitknown that I, CHARLES E.` Mon'ioN, a cltlzen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Im`- rovements in Safety Mechanism for Movmg-PictureMachines, of which the followingI is a specification.

In ymoving picture mechanism and analogous means utilizing -a combustible film, casualties frequently occur from s uch film .being set on fire and it is the purpose of the present invention to prevent the spread of anyifire to contigous portions of the film when the part exposed is ignited from any Cause. i f

The film containing the matter to be reproduced is wound upon a reel and such reel is disposed in a magazine which is usually fire-proof. In the operation of the mechanism in reproducing the record on the film,

the latter is u-nwound from the reel or spool upon which it is originally mounted and is rewound upon a reel or spool locatedin a second fire-proof magazine'. rI`he portion of the film intermediate the two magazines is v'susceptible to fire and by vreason of the highly combustible character of thel film such fire is quickly transmitted to that p ortion of the film contained in the magazlne and frequently Serious casualties occur.- The present invention has for its object'to equip each of the magazines with safety means,.whereby in an emergency such means are instantly and automatically brought into operation to sever that portion of the film exterior to the magazine and prevent fire being transmitted to the portion of the film contained within the magazine.

The drawings illustrate a referred embodiment of theinvention.J owever, it is to be understood that in adapting the same vto meet different conditions, various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention as claimed hereinafter. The accompanying drawings illustrate an adaptation of the invention to a moving picture mechanism' and in said drawings;

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of relatively upper and lower magazines and intermediate film controlling mechanism Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV.. 30, 1920. applicati@ mea Aprn 2s, ,1919. seran 16,292,033.

' mechanism on the line 2-2 of Fig. 6 lookingvto the left, as indicated bythe arrow.

1g. 3 is a sectional detail on the line 3-3 of Fig. 6. l y

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4--14 of Fig. 1 showing the parts on a larger sca e. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 looking upward, as indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

. vFig. 7 is a .horizontal section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow and showing the parts on a larger scale.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal Section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7. f

, Fig. 9 is a'itransverse section on the line 9 9- of Fig. 8, as designated by thearrow.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

Inasmuch as the safety mechanism applied to the upper and lower magazines is substantially the same, a detailed description of one will suffice for a clear understandin thereof. The moving picture mechanism may be of any make or. type and usually embodies anupper magazine A and a lower magazineoA, the same being fireproof and adaptedyto receive the reel or s ool upon which the film B is wound. Lach of the magazines is provided in a side with an opening for the passage of the film B. A frame is secured to the side of the magazine in which the film opening is formed. This frame comprises an inner plate 1 and an outer plate 2, said plates being secured upon opposite sides of the Wall of the magazine in which the film opening is formed. The inner plate l is provided at opposite edges with extensions 3 between which a pair of guide rollers 4 is mounted.

The outer plate" 2 has corresponding eXtenthe film openings formed in the plates land 2 and the wall of the magazine secured between such plates.

Cutting mechanism is mounted upon the outer plate 2 and comprises a fixed blade and a movable blade 8, thelatter having its cutting edge inclined to operate by a shear action. The movable blade 8 is dis-l posed to ,operate in suitable guideways Iorovided at opposite edges of the plate 2. Posts 10 project outwardly from the blade 8 and contractile helical spring" 11 connect such posts with pins 12 projecting out'V wardly from the guideways 9 or other convenient portion of the plate 2. The contractile lsprings 11 normally 'tend to project the movable blade 8 across the film opening of the plate 2 so as to close the same and coact with the fixed blade 7 to sever the projecting portion of the nlm exterior to the magazine and therebyprevent any fire being transmitted from the burning portion of the film to the interior of the magazine.

.The blade 8 is normally held clear of the film openings by means of a detent 13 which is pivoted to the plate 2 at 14. An arm 15 projects outwardly from the pivot end of the detent 13 and is provided at its outer end with a casing 16 in which is located a contractile helical spring 17. A fuse 18 connects one end of the spring 17 with a 1nook 19 or like attaching clement carried by the plate 2. The detent'13 is adapted to engage the opening 2O formed in the blade 8 so as to L. hold the same outward against the tension of the springs 11. ln theevent of fire the fuse 18 quickly melts and the reaction of the spring 17 operates the detent 13 to eect disi engagement thereof from the lblade 8 which 1s moved inwardly by the 'action of the springs 11and in conjunction with the blade 7, severs the film and closes the lm opening of the magazine, thereby preventing communication of fire to that portion of the film contained therein.

From the foregoing it will be understood that both magazines are equipped alike with safety mechanism, .hence in the event of the exposed part of the film therebetween becoming ignited from any cause the Vfuses 18 will be quickly melted, thereby releasing the movable blades 8 from the restraining influence of the detents 13 whereupon the springs 11 will operate instantly to cut off the burning portion of the film and close the The foregoing description and the drawings have ref'erence to what may be considered thepreferred, or approved form of my invention. lt is to be understood that l may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, asmay prove expedient and fall within the scope of thel appended claims.

what l claim as new and desire to secure by I Letters Patent is 1. In moving picture mechanism, a magazine provided in a sidewith a film opening,

a fixed blade upon one side of the film opening, a movable blade upon the opposite side of the film opening, a 4spring cooperating with the movable blade andnormally tending to project its cutting edge across the film opening to severthe film and close the said film opening, a'detent for normally holding the movable blade clear of' the film opening against the tensionv of the spring coperating therewith, a fuse normally holding the detent in engagement with the movable blade and a spring in the length of the fuse to effect a rebound of the detent and cause 4positive disengagementthereof from the movable blade.

2. In moving picture mechanism, a magazine provided in a side with a film opening, a fixed blade upon one side of the film opening, a movable blade upon the opposite side of the yfilm opening, a spring coperating with the movable blade and normally tending to project its cutting edge across the film opening to sever thefilm and close the said lm opening, a detent for normally holding the movable blade clear of theffilm opening against the tension of the spring coperating therewith, an arm projecting from the detent, a casing carried by the arm, a con tractile spring within the casing and a fuse connecting one end of the contractile spring with a part of the mechanism to normally `blade on the'frame at one side of the film opening, a movable blade slidable on the v'frame and disposed upon the opposite side of the film opening, a spring normally tending to project the movable blade across the ,film opening, a detent engaging the movable blade to. hold it against the action of Vthe spring cooperating therewith, an arm projecting from 'the detent, a spring carried by said arm and a fuse connecting the spring with a part of the frame-work.

4l. In fr moving picture mechanism,l com'- prising'V a magazine for receiving the film and provided with a film opening,-a frame comprising inner and outer'plates secured upon opposite sides of the wall of the magazine in which the film opening isformed and having openings in register withthe film opening of the magazine, inner and outer pairs of guide rollers mounted upon thc respective plates in line with the film openings therein, a fixed blade secured to th( outer plate at one side of the film opening,

film opening, a spring normally tending to project the movableblade across the filmI opening, a detent pivoted to the outer plate and engaging the movable blade, anarm projecting from the detent, a casing at the outer end of the arm, a contractile spring Within the casing and a fuse connecting the 1 0 contractile spring with a part of the mechanis/1n. s In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES E. MOR-TON.

Witnesses:

HOBART H. NICKEL, JOHN ADAMS. 

